Temporary Residence Card: the complete guide
A Temporary Residence Card (TRC) is what lets you live in Vietnam long term on a work, investor or family route, rather than relying on short stays. Here is who qualifies, how long a card lasts, which documents to prepare and what slows applications down.
What a TRC is
A TRC is a residence card linked to your work permit, investment or family tie. It is usually valid for 1 to 10 years depending on the category. You cannot get one on an e-visa: the e-visa does not allow you to apply for a TRC, and the card is issued on the matching long-term visa.
Who can get one
Work (LĐ)
Once your work permit is issued, you can get an LĐ visa and a TRC valid for up to 2 years, matching your permit. To apply, your work permit (or work permit exemption) needs at least 12 months of validity.
Investor (ĐT)
Investors who contribute capital to a Vietnamese company qualify by tier:
- ĐT1, VND 100 billion or more: TRC up to 10 years
- ĐT2, VND 50 billion to under 100 billion: TRC up to 5 years
- ĐT3, VND 3 billion to under 50 billion: TRC up to 3 years
- ĐT4, under VND 3 billion: visa up to 12 months, no TRC
The capital must be contributed to a Vietnamese company. Money sitting in a bank account does not count.
Family (TT)
Spouses and children of Vietnamese citizens, or of foreigners holding a work, investor or similar visa, can get a TT visa leading to a TRC valid for up to 3 years.
Documents everyone needs
- Passport: your TRC must expire at least 30 days before your passport. For a 1-year card you need at least 13 months of validity left, and for a 2-year work card aim for at least 25 months.
- Photos: two recent photos, 2 cm x 3 cm.
- Form NA8: the signed TRC declaration, with one photo attached.
- Temporary residence registration: confirmation that your address is registered with the local police. Your landlord or hotel declares your stay.
- Current visa or entry stamp for the matching visa type.
Extra documents by route
- Work: your work permit, plus your employer's sponsor letter (Form NA6) with the company's business registration certificate and its seal and signature registration (Form NA16).
- Investor: the enterprise registration certificate of the company, the investment registration certificate if your investment required one, proof of your capital contribution, Form NA16 and a sponsor letter (Form NA6) signed by the company's legal representative and sealed.
- Family: a marriage or birth certificate, your sponsor's identification, and a sponsor letter: Form NA7 when a Vietnamese family member sponsors you, or Form NA6 from your family member's employer or company.
A marriage or birth certificate issued abroad must be consularly legalised and translated into Vietnamese with a certified translation.
Bringing your family
Spouses and children of work permit and investor visa holders can usually apply for family visas and residence cards. Each dependant needs their own passport, photos, marriage or birth certificate, residence registration and Form NA8.
How long it takes
A TRC usually takes a few weeks once your work permit, investment certificate or family documents are ready. Document preparation is normally the longest part. On the work route, for example, collecting and legalising documents abroad takes 2 to 6 weeks. Fees depend on your route, so check with us for the current figures before you apply.
Avoiding delays
The most common reasons applications are delayed are:
- Missing legalisation
- Inconsistent names or dates across documents
- Expired health or criminal record certificates
Check your passport validity before you start, and plan renewals before they are due.
What comes after
Permanent residence is limited mainly to people sponsored by a Vietnamese parent, spouse or child, after at least 3 years of continuous temporary residence.
How XploreVietnam can help
We can help you confirm which route fits your situation and get your documents in order before you apply. Read our visa guide for more on the work, investor and family routes, and use Navigator, our free planning portal, for a TRC document checklist for your route.